Giants Vs. 49ers 2012: Both Teams Healthy Heading Into Sunday

NFC Championship Game: Giants Fans Might Be Undercover Police Officers

The NFC Championship game will kick on Sunday evening when the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers meet for the second time this season. If any fans from New York made the trek to Candlestick Park, it seems they shouldn't have to worry about cheering loud and proud for the Giants.

That isn't always the case at the 49ers' home stadium, apparently, but security has been elevated for this weekend's game.

Undercover police will be dressed in Giants' garb and on the lookout for nasty fans. Giants ticketholders will be handed a card as they enter Candlestick Park with details on how to contact police if they feel threatened. And more security cameras and undercover police officers will be in place to identify abusive fans.

The amped-up security apparently comes on the heels of quite a few angry fans that took in last week's divisional game between the 49ers and visiting New Orleans Saints. The 49ers issued a statement apologizing for that, but the advanced security is obviously going to help as well.

"I apologize for any rudeness that may have happened," San Francisco 49ers president and CEO Jed York said. "I think you saw 49ers fans who were very excited about hosting a playoff game for the first time in a long time."

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blogNiners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Ted Ginn's Injury Expected To Keep Him Out Of Giants-49ers Game, According To Report

The San Francisco 49ers are not expected to have Ted Ginn for Sunday's NFC Championship game against the New York Giants, according to a report from Pro Football Talk. 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said on Friday that there's a chance Ginn could play but PFT reports that's not expected to be the case.

Ginn missed practice all week with the knee injury and he was listed as questionable entering the game. The 49ers host the Giants at 6:30 p.m. (ET) in the NFC Championship game.

The loss of Ginn may mean slightly more of a reliance on Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, which wouldn't be such a bad thing. Ginn's best skill comes as a return man which the 49ers will miss.

Ginn is in a contract year so that he could miss the biggest game of the season (so far) has to be disappointing for him. The 49ers will release their inactives around 5:00 p.m. (ET). Perhaps Ginn could be active in an emergency role.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Championship Sunday: Picks And Predictions From SB Nation Bloggers

Championship Sunday is here as the Patriots host the Ravens in the AFC Championship game and over in the NFC the Giants play the 49ers. SB Nation's NFL bloggers make their expert picks on the game.

Giants Vs. 49ers, NFC Championship 2012: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman To Call Title Game

With one game remaining on their broadcast calender for the 2011 NFL season, FOX will have their "A" team of Joe Buck (play-by-play) and Troy Aikman (analyst) in the booth with Pam Oliver and Chris Myers working the sidelines for Sunday's NFC Championship Game between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers.

A Hall of Fame quarterback who was coached by Norv Turner with the 1991-93 Dallas Cowboys, Aikman noted how different 49ers quarterback Alex Smith's career could have been if he got to work more than one season with Turner, who coordinated the 49ers' offense in 2006.

"Absolutely it could have been (different)," Aikman said of Smith's carfeer. "Absolutely. I know what Norv does for a quarterback and I know what he meant to my career.

"That's a big part of it is having a guy who really understands offense who is able to put you in the right position. Unfortunately for Alex, Norv was just there one season and then he moved on. You know, Brett Favre ran the same offense for 35 years or however long it was. There's something to be said for that."

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFL Playoff Schedule For Sunday: AFC, NFC Championship On Tap

The AFC Championship Game kicks off the NFL weekend, while the NFC Championship Game will be played in primetime on Sunday night.

Giants Vs. 49ers, NFC Championship 2012: Game Time, TV Schedule And More

The San Francisco 49ers host the New York Giants in the 2011 NFC Championship Game on Sunday. The two teams have previously met seven times in post-season history, with the 49ers leading the series, 4-3. All four of the 49ers' post-season wins over the Giants have come at home, including an improbable, come-from-behind 39-38 win in the 2002 Playoffs.

The 49ers advanced to the NFC Championship Game with a 36-32 win over the New Orleans Saints in the Divisional Playoffs. In his playoff debut, quarterback Alex Smith completed 24-of-42 pass attempts for 299 yards and three touchdowns, including a 14-yard connection with tight end Vernon Davis with 14 seconds to play.

4-0 all-time in NFC Championship Games, the Giants earned an opportunity for a fifth conference title with a 37-20 road win over the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers last Sunday. Quarterback Eli Manning completed 21-of-33 pass attempts for 330 yards and three touchdowns, two to wide receiver Hakeem Nicks.

In their previous meeting this season, the 49ers scored 15 fourth-quarter points for their 27-20 win at Candlestick Park.

Date & Time: Sunday, January 22nd, 6:30 p.m. ET

Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

TV: FOX

Announcers: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman and field reporters Pam Oliver and Chris Myers

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

49ers Vs. Giants, NFC Championship 2012: Rain On Sunday Would Help The San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers are hosting the New York Giants at Candlestick Park on Sunday in the 2012 NFC Championship Game. The forecast for the weekend indicates that the Sunday is likely to be wet, which would suit the home team just fine. You get the impression that the 49ers are fairly praying for rain.

The 49ers are hoping that a soggy field would make it difficult for the New York passing game to get much traction, forcing them to rely on their rushers, which would delight the elite rushing defense of the Niners to no end. The 49ers are notoriously stingy against the ground game.

The forecast for Sunday is a 30 percent chance of showers, with a temperature of between 47 and 55 degrees. Although that might be a touch warmer than the Giants are used to in January, rain on Sunday would be more beneficial to the home team than to the New york squad.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Game, Giants Vs. 49ers: Jake Ballard Says He Should Be Ready To Play

The New York Giants are a little banged up on the offensive side of the ball as they get ready to head out west to take on the San Francisco 49ers. Wide receiver Hakeem Nicks has a banged up shoulder, but the bigger concern has been the health of tight end Jake Ballard. Ballard had a "procedure" on his knee earlier in the week, but he claims he will be ready to go for the game on Sunday.

"Like I've said before, this PCL isn't going to heal overnight," Ballard told the Star-Ledger "It's going to be 6-7 weeks before you don't feel it anymore. And it's only been four. Playing football, if you land on it or anything, you reaggravate it. So to really get healthy, you've got to go 6-7 weeks without playing football - and that's not going to happen. I'll be ready to go."

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Vernon Davis No Longer Hosting NFC Championship Game After-Party

NFC Championship Game: Giants Over 49ers Is Experts' Pick

The New York Giants will enter Sunday's NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers as a slight underdog. But don't tell that to the experts who are picking the Giants to win and move on to the Super Bowl.

Six of the ten experts at ESPN think the Giants will win, including Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter. Meanwhile, Mike Golic and Seth Wickersham are among the four picking the Niners.

All five of the CBSSports.com experts are picking the Giants to prevail in San Fran.

Peter King, however, thinks the 49ers will overcome the Giants' D and emerge victorious:

I find it hard to believe I'm picking against Eli Manning. Borderline insanity. All he's done in the last four years is go 6-1 in playoff games ... with five of the wins outside of New Jersey. He's knocked the Packers out of the playoffs twice at Lambeau Field. He's beaten Tom Brady in Foxborough (in the regular season this year; the Pats' only home loss) and in a Super Bowl. And he can't beat Alex Smith in Candlestick? Certainly he can, but the San Francisco front is going to have something to say about that.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blogNiners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Odds: Niners Favorites Over Giants

The bookies have the New England Patriots as heavy favorites over the Baltimore Ravens, but the odds are considerably closer for the NFC Championship Game. The San Fransisco 49ers are only favored by a field goal at home over the New York Giants. The oddsmakers also like this to be an extremely low-scoring game, setting the over/under at 42.

Those are interesting and worthy of debate, but less fun than the prop bets. Here are a couple of great ones for the NFC Championship Game, via Bovada.

Who will have more turnovers in the game?

New York Giants -175
San Francisco 49ers +145

How many times will the name "Peyton Manning" be mentioned during the live broadcast of the game?

Over/Under 2½

Anyone willing to bet the under on the Peyton Manning prop bet is nuts.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Giants Vs. 49ers 2012: New York Enters Game Fairly Healthy

The New York Giants will enter Sunday's NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers in relatively good health. The only new name added to the injury report was Hakeem Nicks, who rolled his ankle in Friday's practice. He's been listed as probable for the game and he told Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger that he expects to play on what could be a wet field this weekend.

Asked about dealing with the ankle on a potentially slick field, Nicks replied, "Just tape it up, wrap it up real good. I'll be all right."

TE Jake Ballard is questionable entering the game as undergoing some sort of procedure this week. The Star-Ledger has details but his status is up in the air right now. C David Baas also missed practice on Friday with a stomach bug (must be going around) but he's expected to play.

Eli Manning, who was listed earlier in the week as limited after missing a portion of Wednesday's practice, will play on Sunday against San Francisco.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blogNiners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Game: Injury To 49ers WR Ted Ginn May Be Golden Opportunity For Kyle Williams

The San Francisco 49ers are preparing to host longtime postseason rivals the New York Giants on Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. Although the 49ers have home field advantage, they are seen by many analysts as the underdog in this game. To further complicate matters, the Niners may go into Sunday's game with their receiver ranks depleted.

Tight end Delanie Walker is expected to play, but San Francisco may be without Ted Ginn Jr., who is one of the team's lead receivers in addition to being their kick and punt return specialist. Dylan DeSimone of Niners Nation believes that the absence of Ginn may end up being the moment for second-year receiver Kyle Williams.

Williams is another player that I believe is on the cusp right now, and he could show the world on a national stage what he can really do in this league if given the opportunity. Given Ginn's knee, it's looking like the 1 and 2 starting wide receivers will be Michael Crabtree and Williams on Sunday.

Williams is explosive and capable of big plays and spectacular catches. The youngster can fly and is always looking upfield to get more yards after the catch. Besides the fact that he is a little shorter than we'd like, I think he can be a great compliment to Crabtree for the time being.

DeSimone makes more analysis of Williams and predictions for the young player's performance in the Championship Game and is worth a read. Williams has been doing a great job filling in for Ginn in the past few weeks since Ginn has been battling his knee injury, but Sunday may end up being a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the wideout.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

New York, San Francisco Mayors Make A Bet On Giants Vs. 49ers Game

NFL Playoffs Picks: Doubt Flacco And Eli At Your Own Risk

The stage for the Super Bowl will be set Sunday, and it all comes down to the Patriots and Ravens for the AFC Championship, and the Giants trying to knock off the 49ers out west. Who ya got?

NFC Championship Game: Patience Pays Off For Giants, 49ers

When the New York Giants and San Franciso 49ers face off in the 2012 NFC Championship game, they'll both be there thanks to something that's in short supply these days in professional sports.

Patience.

Most NFL franchises probably would have fired Tom Coughlin by now. Despite winning the Super Bowl in 2007, that win has been bookended by some rough stretches during his tenure. Mind you, rarely have the Giants been terrible during his time, but they've just been off enough for the New York media and fandom to vocalize a disdain for Coughlin. He and the Giants weathered the storms and now sit within one game of their second Super Bowl together.

Most NFL franchises probably would have gotten rid of Alex Smith by now. The seventh-year QB earned the bust label about as much as any QB before him. The first-rounder was the face of San Francisco's worst era in decades and seemed set to leave town before this season. New coach Jim Harbaugh stuck with the "bust" and turned him into the quarterback of an NFC West division champion and host of the NFC Championship.

That patience both team have shown will pay off even more for one of the teams come Sunday.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Giants Vs. 49ers, NFC Championship 2012: Game Schedule And More

The San Francisco 49ers are on the cusp of making its first Super Bowl appearance since winning the big game in Jan. 1995 against the San Diego Chargers. They will need to defeat the New York Giants, which most recently won a title during the 2007 season. On Sunday, the two teams will clash in San Francisco to close out Conference Championship weekend.

Related: Alex Smith Finding Vindication | Antrel Rolle Confident Giants Will Be Successful

The 49ers played in the NFC Championship game as recently as Jan. 1998. However, they lost to the Green Bay Packers, 23-10. Long gone is Steve Young, but Alex Smith has created an aura around himself after last week's dramatic late victory over the New Orleans Saints. Will he be able to maintain that aura and lead the Niners to an appearance in Super Bowl XLVI?

Game time/date: 6:30 p.m. ET, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2012

Location: Candlestick Park, San Francisco, CA

TV: FOX

Odds: 49ers favored by 2 to 3 points; points total set around 42

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Game, Giants Vs. 49ers: Alex Smith Knows Chemistry Is Important

The San Francisco 49ers are in the NFC Championship Game and are hosting the New York Giants, rekindling an old playoff rivalry. Niners quarterback Alex Smith had a breakout game in the Divisional Round beating the New Orleans Saints and helped the team pull out the late victory with his play.

Smith knows a lot of that has to do with the chemistry he and the rest of the team built in some of their off-season workouts. "Oh for sure," Smith said about chemistry being built in the offseason workouts at San Jose State. "Anytime I think you're doing something like that, especially without the coaches' influence, when you're just doing it on your own. Guys were flying in from all over the country to be a part of it. Spending time with each other, no question I think that was kind of an unspoken gain from that."

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Giants Vs. 49ers, NFC Championship 2012: New York Ready To Overturn Recent Playoff History In San Francisco

The New York Giants are coming off a major upset following last weekend's victory over the Green Bay Packers, but will they be able to carry over the momentum from that to the NFC title game against the San Francisco 49ers? The Giants are only 2.5-point underdogs to the 49ers, which makes an upset all the more likely. CBS' panel of experts has unanimously chosen the Giants to defeat the Packers, both in a straight pick'em and against the spread.

Pete Prisco sees the Giants pulling out the 24-20 victory, mostly because Eli Manning will be the better quarterback in this game. Manning was 21-of-33 for 330 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers. That has added to Manning's solid career playoff performance, which now stands at 1,904 yards, a 60.9 completion percentage and 14 touchdowns.

Alex Smith certainly showed great leadership and skill by leading his 49ers to a late victory over the New Orleans Saints last week, but can he survive the Giants' pass rush? Aaron Rodgers was sacked four times last week by the Giants. But this is New York in San Francisco; something memorable is bound to happen, either way.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Eli Manning Returns To Giants Practice

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning hadn't appeared on the injury report all season which is why some Giants fans were concerned that he was limited in Wednesday's practice with a stomach bug. Head coach Tom Coughlin said he hoped it was just a 24-hour bug and that appears to be the case.

Manning returned to practice on Thursday, which is a good sign for his prospects moving forward. If it was just a 24-hour type of stomach bug then Manning should have no problem being available on Sunday.

The other injured Giants include Ahmad Bradshaw as he continues to recover from a foot injury.

The Giants play the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday's NFC Championship game

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Game, Giants Vs. 49ers: Justin Tuck Accepted That He Won't Be Healthy This Season

New York Giants defensive end Justin Tuck missed four of the first six games with neck and groin injuries. Though he has not missed a game after the bye week, he's remained on the team's injury report with neck, groin, ankle, toe, and most recently a shoulder injury.

Tuck, who finished the season with 37 tackles and five quarterback sacks, his lowest total since 2006, finally accepted that he was never going to be fully healthy in 2011, Ohm Youngmiusk of ESPN New York reports.

"It's been one of those years where ... when you seem like you have it right and your body is starting to feel good, something else happens," Tuck said. "When that happens, obviously there are going to be people questioning you about where your heart is and things like that. My teammates know where my heart is, my coaches know where my heart is.

"I just came to the realization that I'm not going to be healthy this year, I'm not going to put up the stats that I've put up. But that doesn’t mean that I can't help this football team win games. At the end of the day, that's the end goal. That's what I mean about blocking all the other stuff out."

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blogNiners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Giants Vs. 49ers, NFC Championship 2012: San Francisco Slight Favorite

When the 2012 NFC Championship kicks off between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers, you can expect the Niners to still be a slight favorite.

According to OddsShark, 49ers are approximately 2.5 point favorites over the Giants and will look to continue their solid 7-0-1 run against the spread. The spread is the first time in the last ten seasons that a conference championship game favorite is favored by less than a field goal. The 49ers and Giants have some fun postseason history, with two amazing games in 1991 and 2003, so we'll see if the teams will live up to those previous results.

The folks at Bovada released a variety of odds yesterday and the 49ers and Giants are both 3/1 odds to win the Super Bowl. The Patriots lead the way at 6/5 and the Ravens are at 6/1. That is quite a bit of confidence in the Patriots offense making up for a lackluster (at best) defense. They did work against the Broncos on Saturday, but I don't think that would hold up against more complete teams. I think either the 49ers OR Giants could match up well with the Patriots. The early line has the AFC as a 2 1/2 favorite, although matchups would potentially lead to adjustments.

For all news and information regarding the San Francisco 49ers, please visit Niners Nation. For updates and perspective on the New York Giants, head on over to Big Blue View.

NFC Championship Game Tickets: 49ers Fans Paying Massive Premium

Jesse Lawrence of TiqIQ explains that 49ers fans are paying a 445 percent premium on tickets for Sunday's game against the Giants.

Giants Vs. 49ers, NFC Championship 2012: San Francisco Ahead In All-Time Series History

The San Francisco 49ers will host the New York Giants at Candlestick Park on Sunday in the 2012 NFC Championship Game. The two teams have a long and storied rivalry against one another, particularly in the postseason. The two teams first faced off in 1952. As is to be expected, the Giants usually got the better of the Niners in the formative years of the San Francisco franchise, going 9-2 against their West coast opponents in their first 11 meetings against each other. That all changed, of course, with the advent of the 1980s and the rise of one of the most dominant NFL dynasties of all time.

In recent years, the pendulum has swung back the other way. In the last five meeting between the two teams, the Giants are 3-2 against the 49ers. Those two wins by the 49ers were in very close contests. In 2003, the 49ers came from eight points behind in the fourth quarter of the NFC Wild Card Game to win by a final score of 39-38. In their most recent matchup, in Week 10 of the 2011 season, the Niners needed two fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull off an exciting 27-20 win. That win put the 49ers on top in the all-time series between the franchises. San Francisco has 18 wins over the Giants, while New York has just 17 wins against the 49ers.

The two teams have faced off an impressive seven times in the postseason. The 49ers hold the edge in those all-time playoff matchups as well, holding a slim 4-3 lead over the Giants. New York will have an opportunity to even up both the all-time head-to-head record and the postseason head-to-head record with a win on Sunday.

For all news and information regarding the San Francisco 49ers, please visit Niners Nation. For updates and perspective on the New York Giants, head on over to Big Blue View.

NFC Championship Game, Giants Vs. 49ers: Pressuring Eli Manning Critical For San Francisco

There are two very effective ways to slow down a passing attack: 1) put relentless pressure on the quarterback and 2) play airtight coverage on passing targets. Against the New York Giants last weekend, the Green Bay Packers were unable to do either, as David Fucillo at Niners Nation points out. Eli Manning threw for 330 yards, three touchdowns and an interception while only taking one sack and seven hits.

According to Fucillo, getting pressure on Manning should be priority No. 1 for the San Francisco 49ers during Sunday's NFC Championship Game.

You could make arguments that good pressure forces quick throws or great coverage gives the pass rush time to develop. For the 49ers, I would think getting pressure is more important. They have solid corners, but I think guys like Justin Smith, Aldon Smith and Ahmad Brooks are more apt to get pressure a little bit quicker, rather than hoping the secondary can maintain their assignments while Eli is taking his time figuring out where to throw.

San Francisco was tied for seventh place in the NFL with 42 sacks on the season. It should be noted that they rarely blitzed however, sending four or fewer pass rushers on 80.9 percent of snaps during the regular season for the second-highest rate in the league according to ESPN. Giants blog Big Blue View breaks down the matchup by the numbers even further.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blogNiners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Eli Manning Is Limited In New York Giants Practice On Wednesday

The New York Giants are less than a week away from meeting the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game so it's a little troublesome to hear that quarterback Eli Manning was limited in Wednesday's practice with an illness.

Giants coach Tom Coughlin is hoping it's just a 24-hour stomach bug, according to Mike Garafolo of the Star-Ledger, so it may not be serious. Manning started practice but didn't finish, Coughlin said.

Obviously losing Manning or even having him in a limited capacity would be disastrous for the Giants but it's too early to think that will be the case. The Giants will practice on Thursday and Friday as well before Sunday's game against the 49ers.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Game, Giants Vs. 49ers: Alex Smith Finding Vindication

It's taken just one year for Jim Harbaugh to undo nearly a decade's worth of missteps and restore the San Francisco 49ers back to prominence. But for the quarterback who helped steer the previously-fallen franchise to its first NFC Championship Game appearance since the 1997 season, the road to validation has been anything but a short and smooth trip.

Alex Smith hadn't envisioned the wait to experiencing one of the pinnacle moments of the life of an NFL player -- relishing in the ecstasy of playoff victory -- would take nearly seven full years, nor could have anybody connected with the 49ers back when the organization made the former Utah Utes standout a controversial first overall selection of the 2005 draft.

The 14-yard connection that capped San Francisco's 36-32 win over the more publicly-acknowledged New Orleans Saints in Sunday's NFC Divisional Playoffs should also serve as the play that shatters the dreaded stigma that Smith has been forced to bear all throughout his star-crossed tenure as a professional.

Clearly galvanized by Harbaugh's positive energy -- a complete contrast to the confidence-sapping methods of maniacal predecessor Mike Singletary -- and the stress-relieving scenario of having the starter's role all to himself, Smith delivered by far his best season in helping the 49ers become this year's overnight sensation. The cerebral 27-year-old eclipsed the 3,000-yard passing mark for the first time in his career, while his 1.1 percent interception rate was the best in the NFL and third-lowest in league history.

"Might be time to give Alex a little credit, huh?," Harbaugh said in his postgame press conference. Might be.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFC Championship Game, Giants Vs. 49ers: Carlos Rogers Knows How To Get To Eli

The New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers will be matching up with each other in the 2012 NFL Championship game and should be very familiar with each other. The 49ers beat the Giants earlier in the regular season 27-20, but they're familiar in more ways than just the previous match up. Niners cornerback Carlos Rogers used to face the Giants twice a year when he was with the Washington Redskins.

"A lot of my work will be done on the inside facing Cruz," Rogers told Matt Maiocco of Comcast Sportsnet. "He's a very good receiver who's come a long, long way. I'll have to do the same thing this game. Any turnovers I can get, I got to get them." In the first meeting between the two teams, Rogers picked off Eli Manning twice. Rogers knows how to get to Manning, partly because he's played against him so much.

"In November and December, he's always stepped up," Rogers told Maiocco. "Eli has a Super Bowl. You can get that Eli who throws for 300, 400 yards and you can also get the Eli who can throw you picks. You can frustrate him." A big key for the 49ers will be their pass rush getting to Manning, which is something the Green Bay Packers defense failed to do.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

NFL Playoffs: Who Is The Favorite To Win Super Bowl XLVI?

The 2012 NFL playoffs are down to the final four teams. SB Nation's NFL playoffs roundtable looks at which team is now the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

NFC Championship Game: Antrel Rolle Extremely Confident Of Success For Giants

Guarantees in sports rarely turn out well, and athletes have figured this out. They're generally smart enough not to use the words "I guarantee", but what New York Giants safety Antrel Rolle said on Monday is about as close as a player can come to making a guarantee without flat-out saying it. The San Francisco 49ers are very slight favorites at home in the NFC Championship Game, but Rolle sounds extremely confident that his side would prevail.

We're not going to be denied at this point. We understand what we have as a team. It's not all about talent. It's about chemistry. We're gelling at this point. Coaches and players are on the same page at the same time. We have one goal in mind, which is to win the championship.

This is certainly more confident than arrogant, and the kind of thing that Giants fans will like hearing from their players ahead of the game.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View, along with SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Giants Vs. 49ers, 2012 NFC Championship: A Rivalry Renewed

The 49ers and Giants square off Sunday in the 2012 NFC Championship Game. This marks the eighth postseason contest between the two teams, which equals the most in NFL history. We break down two of the biggest games in the rivalry's history.

NFC Championship Game: 49ers Early Injury Report

The San Francisco 49ers came away from Saturday's win over the New Orleans Saints relatively healthy. With the NFC Championship game looming, their injury list does contain some of key names. Wide receiver/returner Ted Ginn and tight end Delanie Walker are listed as questionable, according to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

Ginn injured his knee on a hit from Saints' linebacker Martez Wilson in the second quarter. Kyle Williams replaced Ginn on punt returns and as the number two receiver. If Ginn cannot play this week, the 49ers are expected to activate Joe Hastings, an undrafted rookie.

Tight end Delanie Walker has a chance to return to action in the NFC Championship. Walker could receiver medical clearance on Monday to resume practicing. He has been out of the 49ers lineup with a broken jaw since Week 16. Walker's ability to play multiple roles, particularly as a blocker, in the 49ers offense has been missed.

Defensive end Ray McDonald is the only other injury of note for San Francisco. He saw his snaps limited in Saturday's game because of a hamstring strain suffered in the final week of the regular season.

For updates and analysis on these teams leading up to their matchup, visit 49ers blog Niners Nation, Giants blog Big Blue View and SB Nation New York and SB Nation Bay Area. Don't forget to check out SB Nation's NFL hub for all your playoff news.

Who's Going To Super Bowl XLVI? Early Predictions For NFC, AFC Championship Games

The AFC and NFC Championship games are set as the 49ers will host the Giants and the Ravens will travel to New England. But which two teams will advance to Super Bowl XLVI?

NFC Championship Game: 49ers, Giants Play Rematch With One Major Twist

The San Fransisco 49ers and New York Giants could play a much different kind of game than their Week 10 encounter, now that their starting running backs are healthy and rain is in the forecast.

2012 NFC Championship Odds: 49ers Favored Over Giants

The 49ers and Giants, fresh off upsets, will meet in the 2012 NFC Championship Game. Only the Giants will have another shot at being the underdogs.